Rokurinsha 六厘舎 – Known to be Tokyo’s Best Tsukemen, At Tokyo Station And Tokyo Skytree

[Tokyo, Japan] It is strange that Tsukemen, ramen served with dipping soup is not that popular in perpetually summer Singapore.

Perhaps because we do not get many good ones here.

When I made my way to Tokyo Japan, it seems a must to pay a visit to the known “best tsukeman” – Rokurinsha つけめん 六厘舎.

The “godfather of tsukemen” Rokurinsha first opened in Osaki in 2005, and achieved immediate popularity with ramen chart topping results and snaking queues.

The shop eventually moved into the “Tokyo Ramen Street” on the basement floor of Tokyo Station and the newer branch at the Tokyo Skytree (also known to be the tallest tower in the world and quite a worthy visit if you go on a blue-sky day).

After all, Rokurinsha’s founder Ryosei Mita trained under the master of tsukemen himself – Kazuo Yamagishi from Taishoken, though both tsukemen are said to be very different.

I arrived early at the Skytree about 10am plus and was already surprised to see a short queue outside for a ramen shop that is going to be opened at 11am.

You know what, I decided to queue as I came all the way here for this. This is one of the best decisions I made this trip because the queue easily reached more than 50 pax moments later.

For those who decide to go to Tokyo Station, it is found in a ramen street (where there are at least 8 ramen shops), and be prepared to queue anything from 30 min to an hour. Though there is an early morning service which starts at 7:30am.

The menu is basic with 3 main choices, the Tsukemen (¥850), Ajitaman Tsukemen with flavoured boiled egg (¥950, don’t save 100 yen for not trying the egg), and the special full toppings Tokusei Tsukemen (¥1,050).

The tsukemen was almost life changing.

Indeed one of the best I had during all the trips I made to Tokyo. Every bite of the dipped noodles I took, I told myself “so good, so good, so good.”

Tsukemen’s main feature is to have really hot dipping soup and mid-cold noodles, and Rokurinsha’s broth full of depth and flavours certainly stays warm till my last dip.

Its special-formulated broth was simmered with a variety of ingredients for 13 hours, from pork and chicken bones to dried baby sardines, smoked mackerel flakes and bonito flakes which gave it a slight yet pleasant seafood-fishy after taste.

The noodles were thicker than usual, almost like the udon, yet very chewy on its texture and ‘grabs’ the dipping soup perfectly.

Probably one of the best tsukemen in Tokyo. The only thing to beat, is the very long queue.

yeps sure! actually I’ve been to the skytree several times, each time exploring diff food there. and bcos I’ve only read ur post after my last visit to skytree last Sunday, I’ll probably not go back to skytree again. (always super crowded :S)
So perhaps i’ll head to the outlet inside Tokyo station since travelling time is shorter and it opens from 7.30am!! 😀 Thanks for sharing this place!

thank you for sharing this! i tried it (at about 330pm in the aftn, the queue was about 20-25mins long) and this got me hooked on tsukemen in Tokyo and i hunted down other tsukemen places. do u know where’s good in Sg for tsukemen? hardly see this type of ramen around. thanks!

Oh thanks for replying! I managed to find a pretty decent & authentic tsukemen at this little place in Robertson Quay called Daikokuya (30 Rob Quay – in a little lonely courtyard within Riverside Village Resisences). Been back twice alr. The broth was smokey first time ard which was quite a good way to mitigate the saltiness and the eggy thick noodles here were good. I’ll try Miharu too (so nearby! Had their ramen only before as tsukemen was unknown to me) for the tsukemen! It’s such a yummier style of ramen IMO that works in our tropical heat.

HI! just chanced upon your blog. Totally agreed that why tsukemen is not popular in hot Singapore. After my first bowl of Tsukemen, I have never looked back. Rokurinsha is really good, I loved their tsukemen. I would also recommend, Fu-Unji Ramen (風雲児) in Shinjuku for your next visit to Tokyo. 🙂